When many think of a marmot, it’s usually in a scree field up high in the mountains, but now there’s one hanging out around the DHS campus. The creature is definitely a bit out of place at our school.
According to the Rocky Mountain National Park Service, marmots are rodents and the largest member of the squirrel family. They live in high, cold areas up high, but the DHS campus certainly isn’t the mountains. Biology teacher Erik Skaggs saw the marmot with one of his classes. When asked how he thought the marmot got here, he said “It probably hitched a ride on some vehicle that was in a more likely ecosystem that marmots would be, like somewhere up high. Probably a construction vehicle or a teacher’s vehicle.”
The marmot has been spotted multiple times around campus. According to the Rocky Mountain National Park Service, they make burrows in alpine meadows and scree fields, insulating with hay to stay warm during their winter hibernation of over 200 days. But without those resources at DHS, the marmot has had to be creative and find another place to live. The marmot has been seen in multiple places around campus, but a few seem to be the most common. Freshman Maeve Daley saw it “On the stairs by the track.” Additionally, Skaggs has seen it under “the ticketing booth by the tennis courts,” and has seen it again in that area.
With the marmot displaced out of its natural environment, there are definitely some adjustments for both the animal and the students of DHS. According to a University of Notre Dame study, the presence of humans influences marmot behavior, especially in the actions of foraging, resting, and traveling. At the high school, human presence is even greater than in the mountains, which affects the day-to-day life of the marmot. But, this situation is impacting the student’s lives too. Sophomore Maya Donaldson explains the impact the marmot has on students, saying that “It impacts student’s mental health because it makes them smile, so it is good for the school environment.”
This marmot seems to be here to stay for a little while, bringing a smile to the students of DHS. Here at DHS, even short term residents deserve to be referenced by their name. Suggestions include freshman Raina Dixon’s Demon, freshman Colt Christofferson’s Douglas, Skaggs’ Margo, sophomore Analee Gilpin Reynolds’ Sir Whiskers and newspaper advisor Morgan Kraska’s Baby D. Do you have an idea of what we should name our marmot? Email El Diablo at [email protected]. We can’t wait to see what you come up with!
